DisplaySearch estimates that 21-percent of TV shipments worldwide in 2010 were of
internet-connected models, with numbers expected to climb to over 122
million in 2014. Analysts warn that smart TV
could overwhelm broadband infrastructure as the popularity of
internet-connected HDTVs and other home entertainment equipment grows to the 2014 estimates or beyond.

“The looming risk now is what happens if every connected TV gets used.

“With Netflix accounting for 20-percent of peak
internet traffic in the US, it’s reasonable to ask if the infrastructure
can cope. Set makers need to understand that broadband
access does not scale endlessly like broadcast reception.”

The issue is only likely to become more pressing, as companies switch to streaming technologies – as with Netflix
– versus one-time downloads. The revised Apple TV, for instances
shifted Apple’s focus solely to streaming content whereas the first-gen
model downloaded video instead; purchased and rented content is stored
in the cloud and streamedon-demand.